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Published byBarnaby Hodge Modified over 8 years ago
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Conifers of Colorado
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Conifer = Member of the phylum Coniferophyta Most familiar, most successful of all Gymnosperms (cone-bearing plants) Includes pines, spruces, firs, junipers & cedars Evergreens : -sheds only a few needles at a time -slow growing -can do year-round photosynthesis
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Conifer (continued) Needles (modified leaves) conserve water Needles gathered together @ base, clusters of 2-5 Needles in a little sheath, sheath gone after one year Seeds in woody scaled cones, mature in 2 seasons
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Pines (genus Pinus) Needles: Scattered over twig singly Sharp pointed Four sided Cones: Pendant w/ parchment-like scales Fall off tree whole
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Bristlecone Pine Pinus aristata Life span: 5,000 years (oldest tree) Elevation: 10,000 to 12, 000 feet
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Piñon Pine Pinus edulis Short scrubby tree prefers dry, open, south- facing slopes, lower altitudes Cones open readily to yield large seeds (Piñon nuts)
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Single-leaf Piñon Pine Pinus monophylla Needles solitary, gray-green, rigid, sharp-pointed, curved toward branch Prefers stony, dry slopes, common on the Western slope of Colorado
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Lodgepole Pine Pinus contorta variety latifolia Tall, slender, used for tee-pee poles Grows in thick stands Elevation 7-11 thousand feet Cones with long prickles toward base
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Limber Pine Pinus flexilis Prefers stony, dry slopes & canyons Branches flexible, planted to minimize avalanche damage Trunk often crooked
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Ponderosa Pine Pinus ponderosa Prefers open park-like spaces Elevation 5-8 thousand feet Needles 3-7 in., clusters of 2 or 3 Cones have spines Black bark when young, a.k.a. “Black Jack Pine” Yellow bark with thick plates when mature
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See Pine Needle Page
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Spruces (genus Picea) Needles sharp, (OUCH!) four sided, attached singly on all sides of twig Needles leave scars on twig when broken off that look like a grater Cones hang down, have parchment-like scales
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Colorado Blue Spruce Picea pungens Colorado state tree, widely used as an ornamental tree Color: silver blue to green-blue Young needles soft, adult needles very prickly, diamond-shaped in cross-section Twigs not hairy; cones 3.5 in.w/ ragged margins; bark dark gray, thin, & scaly Prefer moist soil, north slopes
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Engelmann Spruce Picea engelmani Often used as an ornamental, also for timber & paper pulp Color green, needles 4-sided in cross-section Cones less than 2 in., light chestnut brown Twigs hairy; bark purplish brown or cinnamon red Prefers moist, north slopes
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Firs (genus Abies) Needles (blunt & fairly soft) grow directly from branch Includes: True firs (flat, plump needles) & Douglas-firs (flat, linear needles) Cones erect, not conspicuous in true firs; cones pendant w/ 3-pronged tongues in Douglas firs
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White Fir Abies concolor Color: silver blue to silvery green Needles: 2 in. or more, 2-3 in. long, flat, & straight Bark very thick, rough, ash gray w/ deep furrows & wide ridges in older trees Cones large, erect, pale green or deep purple
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Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii Bark: whitish gray & smooth on young trees, red-brown, deeply furrowed in older trees Needles: ¾ - 1 ¼ inches long, flat, grooved upper surface Cones pendant w/ 3-pronged tongues
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Alpine/Subalpine Fir Abies lasiocarpa Color: blue-green to silvery Prefers high mountains Needles: flat, 1-1.8 in. w/ silvery lines of stomata on both surfaces & blunt tip, point up Bark: smooth, thin, pale grayish white, some brown fissures w/ reddish inner bark Cones: densely clustered, cylindrical, 2¼ - 4 inches long, deep to pale purple Compact spire-like crown
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Corkbark Fir Abies lasiocarpa variety arizonica Very similar to Alpine/Subalpine Fir Differences: 1. Cone scales 2. Bark ashy-gray, soft, corky
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Junipers (genus Juniperus) Cones reduced to small bluish berries Needles reduced to little green scales on twigs about ½ in, sometimes spreading Usually below 9,000 feet
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Rocky Mountain Juniper Juniperus scopulorum Pea-size blue berries w/ gray waxy covering Bark gray to red- brown, scaly w/ ridges; twigs slender Berries have two seeds
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Utah Juniper and One-Seed Juniper Juniperus utahensis & J. monosperma Utah: needle scales yellow green; berries w/ 1 seed, brown with gray waxy covering; bark gray, thin, w/long scales; short twisted trunk One-Seed: common in semi-arid rocky soils; berries w/ 1 seed, brown with gray waxy covering; bark gray, scaly; short twisted trunk, open crown w/ stout branches
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Cedars (genus Cedrus) Many “Cedars” as they are called, are actually Junipers, or other species altogether Needles: ½ - 2 in. long, w/ sharp tips, grow in clusters & are blue-green to silvery Can grown in most soil types Pyramidal shape
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Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana Not really a Cedar, rather a Juniper Can reach heights of 40-50 feet Thin fibrous bark ~ ¼ to ¾ inch thick Sold commercially to the public Small fleshy berries (cones) w/ 1-4 seeds/cone
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Atlas Cedar Cedrus atlantica Can reach heights of 40-60 feet Needles: ¾ to 1½ inches, blue- green Cones: 2¼ - 4 in. when mature, turn brown
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